Fab chemical process monitoring and fault detection Chip quality in semiconductor fabrication processes is typically defined as the reduction of variability around target, or in other words, how well the distribution sets between the lower and upper specified limits. Critical to Quality (CTQ) and conformance to customer requirements also play a significant role. Too high variability in manufacturing quickly turns to product quality issues. To ensure a stable supply of good products to market, thorough quality metrics and process control are needed. One important part of product quality and manufacturing is chemistry. Semiconductor wafer plants consume tons of chemicals throughout the whole fab process. Repeatability and reproducibility of each process is a top concern of fabs, and even the slightest deviation from specification can result in expensive equipment contamination and wafer scrap. Process monitoring and fault detection From chemistry’s point of view, there are two distinct operations related directly to product quality: process monitoring and fault detection. In process monitoring applications, the desired chemistry must be maintained over time. In fault detection applications, the system must verify that the correct chemical is being dispensed to the process. With accurate monitoring, fabs know the composition of each given chemical stream. Without monitoring, wafers become the de facto chemical monitors. By that time, wafers have already been lost and large-scale equipment contamination may have occurred. Vaisala K PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer offers real-time liquid monitoring and prevents wrong chemical concentrations from being dispensed onto wafers, indicates timing for spiking, e.g. for water in EKC at the post-etch residual removal, and indicates bath life and KOH concentration in the etching of silicon. The fully integratable Semicon Refractometer supports intelligent fabs and self-diagnosis. Applications in fab chemical process monitoring and fault detection Vaisala offers in-line, real-time, reliable, precise and cost-effective metrology for wet chemistry concentration measurements which can replace expensive and complex analyzers used in fab chemical process monitoring and fault detection as well as CMP slurry composition and concentration control. Bulk chemical delivery Quality detection of incoming chemicals, such as: HF, IPA, DHF, H2O2, HNO3, HCI, KOH, NaOH, NH4OH. Semiconductor wet chemicals Real-time concentration monitoring of wet chemicals during silicon wafer fabrication. Peroxide blending and dispense at CMP Critical process systems: Hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or other oxidizing agent's concentration monitoring during Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) process. KOH etch of silicon KOH bath concentration monitoring for determining the correct etch end-point. EKC post-clean treatments Water content monitoring in EKC for spray solvent tools. Chemical interface detection in wafer cleaning Instant switch of wafer cleaning chemicals hydrofluoric acid (HF), deionized water (DIW), SC-1 (H2O2, NH3). Solar (photovoltaic) industry: Removal of residual sawing material from solar wafers Lactic acid CH3CHOHCOOH or acetic acid CH3COOH bath concentration monitoring. White Papers In-line refractive index in assay characterization of incoming fresh and effluent spent CMP slurry In-line refractive index (RI) measurements are the technique of choice for qualifying the hydrogen peroxide content in CMP slurries. However, peroxide content is not the only slurry metric of interest. Typically, slurries are delivered from the... In-line refractive index replaces auto-titration in qualifying H₂O₂ concentration in CMP of tungsten Refractive index measurements have established themselves as the technique of choice for qualifying peroxide content in slurries for CMP of tungsten. Many emerging process flows use CMP as a critical tool for building circuit structures, dramatically... In-line refractive index monitoring for CMP slurry fault detection Inline refractive index measurements have established themselves as the technique of choice for detecting faults in the CMP slurry blending and dispense systems of leading fabs. Refractive index, a continuous, non-sampling measurement, helps fabs identify... In-situ chemical monitoring in semiconductor fabrication chemical supplies In-coming chemical quality has been left to the chemical suppliers. Semiconductor fabricators have very limited or no capability to detect problems with process chemistries from their suppliers. It was found that product is exposed to any incoming chemical... Related products Vaisala K−PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−33−S Vaisala K-PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−33−S is the flagship product of the semicon refractometer line. It is a proven industry solution for semiconductor wet-chemical monitoring applications, and it monitors the fab chemicals' concentration in... Read more Vaisala K−PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−23−MS A compact refractometer with an ultra pure modified PTFE flow cell body for semiconductor liquid chemical processes. Connected to the process by a ¼ — 1 inch pillar or flare fitting. Vaisala K-PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−23−MS has a built-in, ultra... Read more Liquid concentration measurement Vaisala offers a wide range of products tailored to liquid measuring needs of different industries. Learn more about the refractometer technology and its applications, and visit the library of product related assets. LEARN MORE
Chip quality in semiconductor fabrication processes is typically defined as the reduction of variability around target, or in other words, how well the distribution sets between the lower and upper specified limits. Critical to Quality (CTQ) and conformance to customer requirements also play a significant role. Too high variability in manufacturing quickly turns to product quality issues. To ensure a stable supply of good products to market, thorough quality metrics and process control are needed. One important part of product quality and manufacturing is chemistry. Semiconductor wafer plants consume tons of chemicals throughout the whole fab process. Repeatability and reproducibility of each process is a top concern of fabs, and even the slightest deviation from specification can result in expensive equipment contamination and wafer scrap.
Chip quality in semiconductor fabrication processes is typically defined as the reduction of variability around target, or in other words, how well the distribution sets between the lower and upper specified limits. Critical to Quality (CTQ) and conformance to customer requirements also play a significant role. Too high variability in manufacturing quickly turns to product quality issues. To ensure a stable supply of good products to market, thorough quality metrics and process control are needed. One important part of product quality and manufacturing is chemistry. Semiconductor wafer plants consume tons of chemicals throughout the whole fab process. Repeatability and reproducibility of each process is a top concern of fabs, and even the slightest deviation from specification can result in expensive equipment contamination and wafer scrap.
Process monitoring and fault detection From chemistry’s point of view, there are two distinct operations related directly to product quality: process monitoring and fault detection. In process monitoring applications, the desired chemistry must be maintained over time. In fault detection applications, the system must verify that the correct chemical is being dispensed to the process. With accurate monitoring, fabs know the composition of each given chemical stream. Without monitoring, wafers become the de facto chemical monitors. By that time, wafers have already been lost and large-scale equipment contamination may have occurred. Vaisala K PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer offers real-time liquid monitoring and prevents wrong chemical concentrations from being dispensed onto wafers, indicates timing for spiking, e.g. for water in EKC at the post-etch residual removal, and indicates bath life and KOH concentration in the etching of silicon. The fully integratable Semicon Refractometer supports intelligent fabs and self-diagnosis.
Applications in fab chemical process monitoring and fault detection Vaisala offers in-line, real-time, reliable, precise and cost-effective metrology for wet chemistry concentration measurements which can replace expensive and complex analyzers used in fab chemical process monitoring and fault detection as well as CMP slurry composition and concentration control. Bulk chemical delivery Quality detection of incoming chemicals, such as: HF, IPA, DHF, H2O2, HNO3, HCI, KOH, NaOH, NH4OH. Semiconductor wet chemicals Real-time concentration monitoring of wet chemicals during silicon wafer fabrication. Peroxide blending and dispense at CMP Critical process systems: Hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or other oxidizing agent's concentration monitoring during Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) process. KOH etch of silicon KOH bath concentration monitoring for determining the correct etch end-point. EKC post-clean treatments Water content monitoring in EKC for spray solvent tools. Chemical interface detection in wafer cleaning Instant switch of wafer cleaning chemicals hydrofluoric acid (HF), deionized water (DIW), SC-1 (H2O2, NH3). Solar (photovoltaic) industry: Removal of residual sawing material from solar wafers Lactic acid CH3CHOHCOOH or acetic acid CH3COOH bath concentration monitoring.
Bulk chemical delivery Quality detection of incoming chemicals, such as: HF, IPA, DHF, H2O2, HNO3, HCI, KOH, NaOH, NH4OH.
Semiconductor wet chemicals Real-time concentration monitoring of wet chemicals during silicon wafer fabrication.
Peroxide blending and dispense at CMP Critical process systems: Hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or other oxidizing agent's concentration monitoring during Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) process.
Chemical interface detection in wafer cleaning Instant switch of wafer cleaning chemicals hydrofluoric acid (HF), deionized water (DIW), SC-1 (H2O2, NH3).
Solar (photovoltaic) industry: Removal of residual sawing material from solar wafers Lactic acid CH3CHOHCOOH or acetic acid CH3COOH bath concentration monitoring.
White Papers In-line refractive index in assay characterization of incoming fresh and effluent spent CMP slurry In-line refractive index (RI) measurements are the technique of choice for qualifying the hydrogen peroxide content in CMP slurries. However, peroxide content is not the only slurry metric of interest. Typically, slurries are delivered from the... In-line refractive index replaces auto-titration in qualifying H₂O₂ concentration in CMP of tungsten Refractive index measurements have established themselves as the technique of choice for qualifying peroxide content in slurries for CMP of tungsten. Many emerging process flows use CMP as a critical tool for building circuit structures, dramatically... In-line refractive index monitoring for CMP slurry fault detection Inline refractive index measurements have established themselves as the technique of choice for detecting faults in the CMP slurry blending and dispense systems of leading fabs. Refractive index, a continuous, non-sampling measurement, helps fabs identify... In-situ chemical monitoring in semiconductor fabrication chemical supplies In-coming chemical quality has been left to the chemical suppliers. Semiconductor fabricators have very limited or no capability to detect problems with process chemistries from their suppliers. It was found that product is exposed to any incoming chemical...
In-line refractive index in assay characterization of incoming fresh and effluent spent CMP slurry In-line refractive index (RI) measurements are the technique of choice for qualifying the hydrogen peroxide content in CMP slurries. However, peroxide content is not the only slurry metric of interest. Typically, slurries are delivered from the...
In-line refractive index replaces auto-titration in qualifying H₂O₂ concentration in CMP of tungsten Refractive index measurements have established themselves as the technique of choice for qualifying peroxide content in slurries for CMP of tungsten. Many emerging process flows use CMP as a critical tool for building circuit structures, dramatically...
In-line refractive index monitoring for CMP slurry fault detection Inline refractive index measurements have established themselves as the technique of choice for detecting faults in the CMP slurry blending and dispense systems of leading fabs. Refractive index, a continuous, non-sampling measurement, helps fabs identify...
In-situ chemical monitoring in semiconductor fabrication chemical supplies In-coming chemical quality has been left to the chemical suppliers. Semiconductor fabricators have very limited or no capability to detect problems with process chemistries from their suppliers. It was found that product is exposed to any incoming chemical...
Related products Vaisala K−PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−33−S Vaisala K-PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−33−S is the flagship product of the semicon refractometer line. It is a proven industry solution for semiconductor wet-chemical monitoring applications, and it monitors the fab chemicals' concentration in... Read more Vaisala K−PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−23−MS A compact refractometer with an ultra pure modified PTFE flow cell body for semiconductor liquid chemical processes. Connected to the process by a ¼ — 1 inch pillar or flare fitting. Vaisala K-PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−23−MS has a built-in, ultra... Read more
Vaisala K−PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−33−S Vaisala K-PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−33−S is the flagship product of the semicon refractometer line. It is a proven industry solution for semiconductor wet-chemical monitoring applications, and it monitors the fab chemicals' concentration in... Read more
Vaisala K−PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−23−MS A compact refractometer with an ultra pure modified PTFE flow cell body for semiconductor liquid chemical processes. Connected to the process by a ¼ — 1 inch pillar or flare fitting. Vaisala K-PATENTS® Semicon Refractometer PR−23−MS has a built-in, ultra... Read more
Liquid concentration measurement Vaisala offers a wide range of products tailored to liquid measuring needs of different industries. Learn more about the refractometer technology and its applications, and visit the library of product related assets. LEARN MORE
